Indian Navy tracks Pakistani naval ship movement in the Indian Ocean region

The Indian Navy has tracked the movement of newly commissioned Pakistan naval ship Yarmook from Romania enroute Red Sea to Karachi, sources said on Tuesday.

The sources added that a big ceremony has been organised in Pakistan where thousands of navy personnel gathered to welcome Yarmook.

The international community, however, criticised the Pakistan government’s decision for a mass gathering to welcome the ship. Its move is against the social distancing norms being adopted across the world in the fight against COVID-19.

Indian Navy warships and surveillance aircraft tracked the movement of the ship a week ago in the Indian Ocean region, sources said.

The Pakistan Navy commissioned the 2300-tonne Corvette PNS Yarmook at a ceremony held at Constanta Port, Romania on February 13, 2020.

On Monday, China organized a keel laying ceremony of a second ship of Type 054 A/P at Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard in China for the Pakistan Navy.

China, which has been fighting the battle against coronavirus and has adopted social distancing, however, allowed a gathering of its naval forces and Pakistani naval personnel during the keel laying ceremony.

The ceremony was attended by officials from Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard, Pakistan Navy officers and representatives from Chinese naval equipment firms.